Archive for the ‘Nissan 370Z’ Category

Be honest now, how many of you thought that when Nissan first teased the 370Zki it was talking about a special-edition model or even some sort of update to the 370Z? As you probably found out, the 370Zki is nothing more than a convertible 370Z with skis at the front and snow tracks to the rear. Yes, it’s a V-6-powered snowmobile. It’s definitely cool, but far from what Nissan really needs right now. And let’s face it, cars and crossovers with snow tracks are getting a bit old. Not to mention that Nissan has built quite a few in recent years. Unless it’s planning to open a museum or something, I’d say the Japanese would be better off doing something useful. Like a brand-new 370Z already!

“A custom lift kit had to be designed and engineered to lift the car an additional three inches off the ground”

And the 370Z required many modifications to become a snowmobile. For starters, Nissan had to remove the entire drivetrain in order to make room for the Dominator tracks.
A custom lift kit had to be designed and engineered to lift the car an additional three inches off the ground. Custom mountings for the rear suspension springs and three-inch custom spacers for the snow tracks also had to be manufactured. The factory brakes were retained but the brake lines had to be rerouted and the exhaust system was modified.

Up front, the suspension was modified to accommodate the new ride height, and adaptors were made to allow the appropriate travel and rotation for the front skis. A front skid plate was added to prevent damage to the engine during high-speed drives through snow-covered rough terrain.

New visuals include yellow tinted headlamps (to resemble ski goggles) and a custom body wrap by Icon Image Graphics. The drivetrain remained unchanged, so there’s still a 3.7-liter V-6 engine under the hood. With 332 horsepower and rear-wheel drive, the 370Zki must be a lot of fun. But it’s still a concept you can buy and I’d rather have a next-generation 370Z (or whatever its name will be) anyway.

There’s a prevalent belief within automotive circles that the Nissan 370Z is in dire need of an update. The current version of the sports coupe has been on the market since 2009. That’s a long time for any car, let alone one that belongs in a niche segment. As the clamoring for a next-gen 370Z grows louder, Nissan has apparently been listening all along. All this time, the Japanese automaker was actually developing a new 370Z. The only problem is it’s not the 370Z replacement we’re expecting.

Feast your eyes on this creation. It’s a Nissan 370Z…on skis. Nissan calls it the 370Zki, and it’s actually something the automaker is bringing to the 2018 Chicago Auto Show later this month. I don’t suppose it’s the version of the 370Z that we’ve all been waiting for. On the bright side, it is a positively cool creation, at least once you get past the awkwardness of seeing the compact sports car sitting on snowmobile equipment.

What makes the Nissan 370Zki special

Your eyes aren’t fooling you. This really is a Nissan 370Z. The exterior and interior of the sports car are certainly identical to those found on the 370Z. It even has an eye-catching bodywrap from Icon Image Graphics, complete with detailed graphics that showcase its “370Zki” name. Everything else about it changes, though, when you look at the bottom-half of the sports car. The four wheels, for example, have been completely removed in favor of tracks and skis. Apparently, the process of creating the 370Zki involved removing the car’s entire driveline.

In its place, Nissan completely modified the front and rear suspensions of the 370Z to accommodate the massive changes to its appearance and functionality. The changes include adding adapters and wheel spacers to achieve the required suspension travel and rotation for the 56-inch long skis. At the back, a custom lift kit and mounts for the rear springs were created to increase the car’s ground clearance. Similar wheel spacers were also added to the hubs in order for the massive Dominator tracks to sit further away from the car.

“The tracks come by way of American Track Trunk Inc., and they measure 48 inches long, 30 inches high, and 15 inches wide”

The tracks come by way of American Track Trunk Inc., and they measure 48 inches long, 30 inches high, and 15 inches wide. A custom skid plate was also installed to keep the chunks of ice away from the engine. Speaking of which, Nissan also created custom mounts for both the engine and transmission of the sports-car-turned-snowmobile.

In case you’re wondering, the 370Zki still makes use of the same 3.7-liter DOHC V-6 engine that you can find on a normal 370Z. The engine is good for an impressive 332 horsepower, and all that power goes to the back courtesy of a seven-speed automatic transmission.

“Nissan also created custom mounts for both the engine and transmission of the sports-car-turned-snowmobile.”

It’s hard to imagine the kind of lap time the Nissan 370Zki is capable of, but as far as carving slopes up there in the snowies, I can’t imagine a cooler ride for that kind of job. Just don’t expect this creation to serve as the foundation towards creating the next-generation Z sports car.

As excited as it was to hear rumors that Nissan was bringing thesuccessor to the 370Z sports car at the Tokyo Motor Show, it appears that the hype has fizzled out even before it had a chance to be worth anything. The latest word coming from former Nissan Australia Managing Director, Richard Emery, who has come out saying there are unlikely to be any plans for a new Z concept anytime soon.

Speaking with Motoring, Emery said that there are no plans to introduce a replacement study for the 370Z. His comments also came a few days after the automaker unveiled the 2018 370Z in Europe, packing some aesthetic improvements in the exterior and interior. Considering these recent developments on the front of Nissan’s Z sports car family, it does look like all those talks of a successor were premature. It doesn’t mean that they were unwarranted, though. The fact remains that the 370Z is eight years old and (should be) at the end of its lifecycle. It’s certainly possible that Nissan is giving the sports car one final facelift before officially launching the successor. Whether that’s a couple of years from now or not, it’s going to be a while.

Nissan USA announced today the official pricing for the refreshed 2018 Nissan 370Z range, including the Coupe, Roadster and the Nismo variant. According to this info the cheapest new 370Z you can obtain will set you back $29,990, and the most expensive $49,900.

That base price is for the 2018 Nissan 370Z Coupe with a 6-speed manual. Adding an automatic transmission will up the cost to $31,390. Then there is the trim levels including Sport ($33,570 MT/$34,970 AT), Sport Tech ($37,070 MT/$38,470 AT), and Touring ($38,190 MT/$39,590 AT). The Roadster start at a whopping start at $41,820 with a 7AT, $46,570 for Touring 7AT, $48,100 for Touring Sport with a manual gearbox, and $49,400 for Touring Sport 7AT. As for the 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo, it costs $45,690 with a manual and $47,090 for the automatic. You have ot add another $885 to all prices above for destination charge.

For the 2018 the 370Z gets a number of upgrades such as with revised exteriors that include dark headlight treatments, dark tinted rear combination lights, new blackout rear lower fascias and new 19-inch aluminum-alloy wheel designs, high performance clutch for manual models, two additional speakers and new Passion Red paint job. In addition, a new Heritage Edition package is offered on the base 370Z with Chicane Yellow Heritage Edition featureing black outside mirrors, gloss black graphics and yellow interior trim, and Magnetic Black Heritage Edition with gloss silver graphics and yellow interior trim.

With the Nissan 370Z debuting way back in 2008, it’s about damn time for Nissan to bless us with a new successor. Sure, it’s been updated on a somewhat regular basis and is fairly modern at this point, but its replacement is long overdue. Unfortunately, Nissan doesn’t see it that way, and instead of bringing us a new Z-car for 2018, we end up getting the 370Z Heritage edition. That model gets revised exterior lights, and some special paint to trim inside and out. Outside of the new Exedy, high-performance clutch, it’s just another damned special edition. I was really hoping Nissan blew its special-edition budget with all of those pointless special editions in Chicago earlier this year, but I guess not.

The worst part is that the Z-Car’s next big move is so clouded in mystery and uncertainty that it’s enough to give just about any enthusiast a raging hate boner and then some. So, where does the road to the next Z-Car take us? At this point, your guess is as good as any because Nissan doesn’t even know. In fact, in light of that new “Heritage Edition” I mentioned earlier, Nissan may make the next Z a damned crossover… Yikes! Back in 2014, we heard that news that the next Z-car would have multiple engine options, including a four-cylinder hybrid engine (for those of you who don’t know, the Z has always had a six-cylinder.) In mid-2015, it was said that the next Z-car would be a revolution, with hints that it would take on the Toyota 86, which means it’s going to lose in the power department and probably get a little smaller.

But, that’s not the latest news either. Just six months or so ago, fuel was added to the fire when Car Advice reported the next Z-Car would be a crossover, and it was backed up thanks to the Gripz concept that we saw in 2015. And, the trail goes cold yet again, with 2018 bringing us the “Heritage Edition” that will be previewed at the New York Auto Show.

With the Nissan 370Z debuting way back in 2008, it’s about damn time for Nissan to bless us with a new successor. Sure, it’s been updated on a somewhat regular basis and is fairly modern at this point, but its replacement is long overdue. Unfortunately, Nissan doesn’t see it that way, and instead of bringing us a new Z-car for 2018, we end up getting the 370Z Heritage edition. That model gets revised exterior lights, and some special paint to trim inside and out. Outside of the new Exedy, high-performance clutch, it’s just another damned special edition. I was really hoping Nissan blew its special-edition budget with all of those pointless special editions in Chicago earlier this year, but I guess not.

The worst part is that the Z-Car’s next big move is so clouded in mystery and uncertainty that it’s enough to give just about any enthusiast a raging hate boner and then some. So, where does the road to the next Z-Car take us? At this point, your guess is as good as any because Nissan doesn’t even know. In fact, in light of that new “Heritage Edition” I mentioned earlier, Nissan may make the next Z a damned crossover… Yikes! Back in 2014, we heard that news that the next Z-car would have multiple engine options, including a four-cylinder hybrid engine (for those of you who don’t know, the Z has always had a six-cylinder.) In mid-2015, it was said that the next Z-car would be a revolution, with hints that it would take on the Toyota 86, which means it’s going to lose in the power department and probably get a little smaller.

But, that’s not the latest news either. Just six months or so ago, fuel was added to the fire when Car Advice reported the next Z-Car would be a crossover, and it was backed up thanks to the Gripz concept that we saw in 2015. And, the trail goes cold yet again, with 2018 bringing us the “Heritage Edition” that will be previewed at the New York Auto Show.

The Nissan 370Z has been around for nine years. Yep, it’s that old. It’s undertaken some revisions and updates over the years, but there’s no going around the fact that the 370Z is in dire need of a replacement. Turns out, that replacement could be on its way, only it won’t be a sports car; it’s reportedly going to be a crossover. Let that simmer for a second.

Car Advice is reporting that there’s an all-too real possibility of seeing the tired and dated 370Z get replaced by a high-riding crossover. Granted, rumors of this possibility have been floating around the surface for quite some time now. Nissan even stoked the flames in its own way by introducing the Gripz Concept at the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show. At that time, there was already talk that the Gripz would evolve into a crossover that will be placed under the Z family. So all of this isn’t new. What can be considered a development is what Nissan Europe chairman Paul Wilcox told Car Advice.

Wilcox specifically did not confirm the persistent rumors about the Z crossover, but he didn’t deny them either. Instead, he mentioned that the company is looking into every segment of the industry today to see which ones are worth pursuing. One of those segments is the crossover and SUV line, which has proven to be one of the stoutest lines in the business today.

Having a Z crossover replace the existing 370Z would certainly be a bold move, but it wouldn’t be too much of a stretch if Nissan wants to cover the crossover and performance with a single model. That would at least justify what Wilcox described as the company’s goal of focusing on “crossovers” and “having the right products to complement that.” On paper, the idea makes sense for Nissan and its Z brand. It’s a fresh car with a fresh purpose that has the potential to be successful if Nissan develops it the right way.

After constant churning of the rumor mill, the fate of the Nissan 370Z may have been finally answered. NISMO’s chief product specialist Hiroshi Tamura finally let the cat out of the bag: the 370Z is here to stay and more importantly, it’s going to have a successor in the future.

Tamara confirmed the fate of Nissan’s entry level sports car in a conversation with Motoring Australia, saying that Nissan isn’t prepared to let the 370Z die in the wake of its plan to expand the “Z” lineup and add a Z-badged SUV based off of the Nissan Gripz Concept, which made its debut at the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show. A lot of the whispers surrounding the 370Z’s future was tied into what Nissan planted to do with the Gripz. There were even rumors that the Japanese automaker was looking into giving the slot reserved to the 370Z to the production version of the Gripz in an effort to bolster its already expansive SUV range.

But fans of the 370Z can rest easy now that Tamara has confirmed that the 370Z will live on and will be produced separate of any plans Nissan has for the “Z” range. Nissan even has big plans for the Z, so says NISMO’s product planner. One such scenario he raised is the possibility of seeing the next 370Z and the production version of the Gripz share components with one another, thereby saving the company development costs.

As far as when the next generation 370Z will arrive, Tamara didn’t give a specific timetable, opting only to say that his team isn’t going to rush the development of the car. With the market for sports cars continuously evolving, the company needs to figure out what is and what isn’t going to work. Answers to those questions is going to take some time, so at the very least, the wait for the next-gen 370Z is going to take some time.

It isn’t as hardcore as a Nissan GT-R, but it certainly is very sporty. The Nissan Z-cars have been around for a long time and the 2014 370Z is the latest iteration of a long line of Z-cars that have come and gone.

Last year, Nissan updated the 370Z Roadster with new features like daytime running lights, an updated front fascia without compromising on the looks. The coupe has nice high shoulder and confident looks. Chopping off the roof hasn’t ruined the handsome exterior of the 370Z either.

For 2014, the Nissan 370Z Roadster employs a 3.7-liter V-6 naturally aspirated engine with 332 horsepower on tap. The engine is capable of churning out 270 pound-feet of torque @ 5200 rpm. For driving enthusiasts, Nissan offers a 6-speed manual gearbox which comes with Nissan’s SynchroRev Match system, while a 7-speed automatic with paddle-shift is also on the list.

The 2014 370Z is capable of delivering similar performance as the 2013 model. Combined fuel economy figures released by Nissan confirm that the 2014 model is rated at 20 mpg and 21 mpg for manual and automatic version respectively.

Updated 04/09/2015: Nissan announced prices for the 2016 370Z, which is now on sale at Nissan dealers nationwide unchanged from the previous year. The model is priced from $41,820, and the only update is a new Deep Blue Pearl exterior color.

The Nissan 370Z Nismo is a cool, nippy sports car at 350 horsepower and 276 pound-feet of torque. Drop the hammer and it will reward you with fast-enough acceleration and precise handling. Do that on the track and you’ll be able to sweep the asphalt with a lot of famous and more expensive cars.

But despite its abilities, I always thought the 370Z lacked the looks most enthusiasts are expecting to find on a sports car of this caliber. Its face is just too clean and polished, without any of the sharp cues that make you scream in agony as you’re being chased by one.

Fortunately, that has come to an end today when Nissan took the wraps off the facelifted 370Z Nismo. The Japanese-built sports car has finally received its much-need rhinoplasty, one that throws the boring look to the dumpster and puts a new, “eat my dust” face on the hot coupe.

Of course, the 2015 370Z Nismo is not only about a new, evil grin. The folks over at Nismo have been working hands deep to upgrade the chassis and the suspension system, while developing brand new sports seats with Recaro, the industry’s main provider of high-performance shells.

I was a bit surprised to discover Nissan chose to keep output figures unchanged, but aside from that, it had done a great job to bring the 370Z back in the spotlight.

Updated 06/03/2016: June 3 for most of us its just another day in the calendar. Well, but if you are a fan, then you may know that June 3 is also National Donut Day. To honor the event, Formula Drift icon Chris Forsberg took to a production set in Southern California to put a unique spin on making donuts. And he used a Nissan 370Z Nismo to do it. Hit “play” to see what happened in the end!

Nissan’s Z car, known in Japan as the Fairlady Z, has graced public roads since 1969, and currently exists in its sixth generation as the Z34 370Z. It’s a two-door sports coupe with a torque-filled engine stuffed in the front pushing power to the rear wheels, exactly as it should be.

Nismo, Nissan’s performance tuning division, has busied itself with creating pumped-up versions of many vehicles in the brand’s lineup, and the results have been stellar. According to the company, the GT-R Nismo is sold out, the Juke Nismo accounts for 15 percent of total sales, and the 370Z Nismo Coupe ropes in 20 percent of sales.

Clearly, the factory is doing something right with these speed-demons. But one look at the current Nismo models reveals one glaring omission – a convertible.

Nissan is (potentially) seeking to rectify this with the 370Z Nismo Roadster concept. Making its world debut at the 2015 Chicago Auto Show, this machine adds that characteristic Nismo excitement to the stock 370Z drop-top. While not yet confirmed for production, it appears just about ready to hit dealerships. But should it make the cut, what will it have to offer someone looking for the thrill of open-air motoring?

Updated 02/13/2015: We’ve added a series of images taken during the 370Z Nismo’s official debut at the 2015 Chicago Auto Show. Check the new images in the “Pictures” tab after the jump.